Artist

De La Soul

2: briefs
11:04: average
22 min: in total

On music.briefs2

3 Feet High and Rising

De La Soul · 1989

3 Feet High and Rising is De La Soul’s 1989 debut — a sample-heavy, psychedelic-influenced hip-hop record built with the Casio RZ-1 and Eventide Harmonizer. It introduced the 'D.A.I.S.Y. Age' concept ('Da Inner Sound, Y'all'), used quiz show skits to structure its flow, and drew from funk, soul, doo-wop, psychedelic rock, and children’s music. It was certified platinum, added to the Library of Congress National Recording Registry in 2010, and remained unavailable digitally until 2023 due to sample clearance issues.

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11:38

De La Soul Is Dead

De La Soul · 1991

De La Soul Is Dead is a 1991 hip-hop album that rejects its predecessor's image through conceptual rupture, darker humour, and weighty themes—while holding onto playfulness in groove and skit. It is structured around format-specific sequencing, fictional radio framing, and a visual metaphor of death-as-metamorphosis. Its sound is defined by eclectic sampling and rhythmic experimentation—but no instrument, room, or technical detail beyond that is verified.